1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding and, more specifically, to the development of oat plants that produce high levels of beta-glucan.
2. Background of the Invention
The goal of field crop breeding is to combine various desirable traits in a single variety/hybrid. Such desirable traits may include greater yield, resistance to insects or pests, tolerance to heat and drought, better agronomic quality, higher nutritional value, growth rate, and fruit properties.
Breeding techniques take advantage of a plant's method of pollination. There are two general methods of pollination: a plant self-pollinates if pollen from one flower is transferred to the same or another flower of the same plant or plant variety. A plant cross-pollinates if pollen comes to it from a flower on a different plant.
One crop species that has been subject to such breeding programs and is of particular value is oat (Avena sativa). Oat is a cereal grain that is grown for its seed and is an important crop for human consumption, as well as a major source of animal feed.
Oats have become an increasingly popular crop worldwide, especially among health-conscious consumers. Oats have been shown to be a “heart healthy” grain, due in part to the health effects of the water soluble fiber, beta-glucan, which is found naturally in oat bran. Beta-glucan is a polysaccharide that has been studied extensively for the last 30 years, and has been shown to be useful in reducing blood cholesterol levels. Because of its cholesterol reducing activity, beta-glucan is the only dietary fiber recognized by the European Food Safety Authority as being able to reduce disease risk.
While breeding efforts to date have provided a number of useful oat lines with beneficial traits, there remains a great need in the art for new lines with further improved traits. Such plants would benefit farmers and consumers alike by improving crop yields and/or quality, as well as providing increased dietary value for both humans and animals.